Fractured Memories
by Angelbabie13190
Summary: *An old favorite* Mr. Gold finds himself being stalked by a girl that claims to know where his beloved Belle is. Who is she? What secrets does she have? Rated T, but could go up. *Updated/Edited* Be sure to read all Chapters! Please Review! :)
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Once Upon a Time; they belong to the show creators and ABC.

Summary: He let her go because he didn't want to give up his power, but living in Regina's sordid world without his magic for twenty-eight years, he would give anything to go back and make her stay. Will he find out the truth of Belle's fate, or will she be forever doomed to the darkness of a cell in the basement of the hospital?

A/N: Okay, I know I re-edited it. However thanks to the great Grace52373 (thank you once more) I was able to actually get the original copies of the story. So once more…a little more editing. I am trying to stick true to the original storyline and can do that a bit more now that I got the original back. So bear with me please, I am a perfectionist.

**Fractured Memories**

Pain of an Empty Heart

Mr. Gold left the sheriff's station in an elated mood, no one could keep him behind bars, not even Emma Swan. With a slight bounce in his step as he walked to the end of the walkway. That mood quickly turned sour when he felt the heaviness of the chipped tea cup in his coat pocket. Stopping on the walk he pulled the broken object from his pocket and stared at it. _All you'll have is an empty heart…and a chipped cup._ He swallowed back the emotion that tried to spill from him and put the cup back in his pocket before continuing on his way home.

The walk to his well-kept Victorian home was a long one. Without a car the fastest route would be to pass the hospital. As he walked, he stared up at the tall white building and paused. The hair on the back of his neck stood as the overwhelming longing to go into the hospital passed over him. This seemed to happen whenever he passed the building, so much that he had taken the means to go out of his way to avoid the hospital for that very reason. Shaking off the feeling he continued on his way home.

The lights were off, as they normally were, being a frugal man he only left one on in the hall, just to make sure he didn't stumble in the dark. Along with the darkness, the house stood extremely empty. It held his belongings, but it never really seemed like home. Nowhere had seemed like home, not after his son…and not since Belle. Everywhere he turned in this house he wanted to see her warm, smiling face to welcome him home. He wanted to hear her laugh, her voice, and to feel her touch.

Flicking on a light, he walked toward the curio in his study. Opening the cabinet door, he carefully placed the cup on a small pillow inside. It had always had a place of importance in the cabinet, it would have been easy for Moe French to find it even without Regina's instruction. His eye caught his reflection in the mirror at the back of the cabinet. Staring back at him he saw a weakling, a man with a gimp and no strength at all. When he had had power nothing could stand in his way. He couldn't understand how she could want him as a human, as a man that people looked down upon. He had been a man that a wife ran out on, a man who raised a son that may not have even been his, how could anyone love him? She did though and it frightened him. He had pushed her away, and then horrible things happened, things he could have saved her from if pride and power hadn't gotten in the way. He had been foolish, a powerful man with everything he could want, but foolish.

Turning away from the curio, Mr. Gold made his way towards the stairs and the painful climb that would lead him to the comfort of his bed. _You're a coward Rumpelstiltskin._ Her voice had been increasingly haunting his thoughts and dreams. Especially on this day when everyone went out of their way to show someone they loved their feelings and affections. Ironically it had also been the day her turned her out of his castle. Stopping half way up the stairs, he willed her voice to be silent, just for one night. However, she was always strong and stubborn, and so it seemed her voice would be as well.

_He watched her leave the dungeon and closed his eyes tightly to mask the pain. When would he learn? When would he finally just admit that all he needed, all he wanted, was power? Love made one weak and foolish. That is how he lost his wife, but power is how he had lost his son. He could stand it if she left. There had been many before her who had done the same. To his deep surprise she stopped in the hall and turned around, walking back with a fire in her eyes. He held his breath so as not to let slip any of those foolish and weak emotions show through. She stared at him with those bright blue eyes he had slowly fallen for, wet with unshed tears._

"_You are freeing yourself." Her voice shook as she spoke, as did her shoulders. "You could have had happiness if you just believed someone could want you, but you couldn't take the chance."_

_He wanted to tell her that she was wrong, that he did truly love her, but he couldn't. She would be no good for him, just a simple fantasy to wash away the loneliness on a boring afternoon. He needed to let her go for her own sake. He needed to push her away so that she could find her true happiness._

"_That's a lie." His voice seemed foreign to him as he said those three words, three words different than the ones he wanted to say._

"_You're a coward Rumpelstiltskin." He stared into her eyes as she scolded him like he was a schoolboy. "No matter how thick you make your skin that doesn't change."_

"_But I'm not a coward, dearie." The words couldn't be anymore untrue. He was in fact a coward, in every sense of the word. "It's quite simple really. My power means more to me than you."_

_She looked at him, anger and sorrow shining through in tears that she refused to let fall. "No. No it doesn't. You just don't want me to think I can love you." Smart girl, smarter than it really seemed fair. "Now you've made your choice and you're going to regret it, forever." The pain of her words seemed to choke him and he couldn't breathe. He told himself in a mantra over and over again to be still, to look at her like her words meant nothing to him. "All you'll have is an empty heart and a chipped cup." She stared him with one last pleading look._

_When he didn't say anything she left, leaving him to star at the walls of the dungeon and shed the tears that he had been holding back as he counted each step she took. The sound of the door to the castle slamming shut echoed all the way to the dungeon. It left a hollow sound and feeling within the castle, once again the Dark One found himself alone._

The memory seemed to knock the wind out of him and he collapsed on the stairs. Her voice still rang in his ears and he choked on the pain and regret. He needed to not feel anything anymore. He needed to forget her and become the creature he had once been. That magic didn't exist, not in this life or the last. Grabbing onto the railing, he struggled to pull himself up. Moving shakily he made his way to the bedroom, not even bothering to change as he collapsed upon the bed.

~O~

She stared at the moonlight that fought its way through the small window near the ceiling. Time had no meaning in this little room. She didn't know how many minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months had passed. She didn't know how old she was or even if anyone looked for her. Hell, she didn't even know where this prison was. The only thing that seemed constant was the woman that would come stare at her through the small window in the door. _That_ woman. The reason she found herself stuck in this prison on bad advice.

When she slept, which was very little, she dreamed of a great castle of warm colors and beautiful tapestries. In all her dreams there was a man, sitting at a spinning wheel, eyes glazed over as his fingers passed over straw that turned to gold, almost the same hue as his scaly skin. At first glance he seemed like a beast, someone to fear. The more she dreamed of him, the more she felt that he was lonely, sitting there in an empty castle with only a spinning wheel for company, a spinning wheel he used to forget. She wanted to step out of the shadows of that dream world to comfort him, be a companion. Every night she tortured herself with wanting to know if this man, this golden man, had forgotten her. Every night the Evil Queen's words echoed in her head like an insult. _True love's kiss can break any curse._

"Unless one is a coward." She whispered into the darkness. "And you are a coward Rumpelstiltskin."

A/N: Okay so this is the revamped original first chapter of Fractured Memories. Let me know if you like it! As always reviews are like candy…or coffee (I have an addiction to coffee), anyways they help fuel the imagination and keep me motivated to continue writing stories that you, the awesome readers, will enjoy. Angelbabie13190 ^_^


	2. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Once Upon a Time. They belong to the show creators and ABC.

**Fractured Memories**

Awake

The air seemed warm, unseasonably warm, but that didn't seem to stop anyone from going about their daily business, especially Mr. Gold. He made his way towards Granny's Diner, the last stop on his weekly rounds collecting money. He figured a nice cup of tea and maybe a bite before going to his silent shop would be the perfect way to end the morning. Walking through town, he passed the library and stopped. It felt as though someone had been looking at him. Turning he peered up at the clock tower, finding no one. Shaking his head he continued on his way.

When he reached the diner, he found it pack. This didn't seem unusual for seven thirty in the morning. People were getting coffee or having breakfast before going to work. He sat down at an empty booth, one essentially reserved for him, being the town owner and all. After ordering tea, he browsed the menu for anything appealing. He settled for an omelet and immersed himself into an invisible bubbles, ears tuning themselves to catch the latest news being uttered about the diner. Before he could catch what the latest gossip was, the bell above the door rang as Mary Margaret and Emma walked in like two tornadoes. They were in a deep discussion about something, it seemed like something much more exciting than who left with whom from the bar the night before, so he listened.

"So Nora's awake?" Mary Margaret asked as she sat down at a table. "She's only ever been slightly responsive in all the time that I've volunteered there. They were just waiting for her parents to decide to end the life support."

Mr. Gold found intrigue in this. They were talking about Nora Dawson, a girl that had spent the better part of her twenty years in the coma ward living off of a machine in a vegetative state. He reminded himself how strange this world seemed to be if the closest thing to magic was a machine keeping you alive.

"They've been calling it a miracle." Emma yawned as she sat across from the school teacher. Of course they would call it a miracle. "I'd take the miracle of sleep right about now. I've been there since four o' clock. Regina didn't want another repeat of what happened last time."

Mary Margaret gave her a feeble smile before ordering coffee from Ruby. Mr. Gold caught the slight flush that slowly crept up her neck. Emma also ordered coffee, a rather large coffee, before turning to look around the restaurant, and locking eyes with Mr. Gold. To his utter misfortune, she excused herself from the table with Mary Margaret and walked over. She sat on the empty side of the booth and stared at him with narrowed eyes.

"Good morning, Sheriff, what can I do for you?" He asked, taking a bite of his omelet.

The blonde tilted her head to the right. "Tell me how you managed to swindle your way out of an attempted murder charge." She had that serious look on her face, the one that said I-can-find-out-your-secrets-if-I-want-to.

Mr. Gold sighed. "As I told you, dearie, I own this town." He smiled at her before turning back to his breakfast. "I'm sure Regina would want you spending your time on the paperwork of Ms. Dawson than interrogating a man you will never get into a jail cell again."

Emma narrowed her eyes at him before leaving with a slight huff. Mr. Gold bit back a chortle as he watched her leave. Finishing up with his breakfast, he paid Ruby and left the diner. His mind began its work on whatever awaited him at his shop. He found that immersing himself into business helped him forget about her, if only for a short while. It didn't help that there were a few belongings that reminded him constantly of his ultimate mistake. He had obtained custody of her father's delivery van, in this life. He even had several books that she had read during her time in his castle, and of course there was the chipped cup, but those were just a few of many things.

Upon entering the shop he searched for something to fix his attention on. He found an instrument, a pan flute in desperate need of polishing. Carefully taking the pieces apart he set them down side by side as he began the tedious work of polishing the wood. Humming a song of old to himself, he seemed to fade away into the background of the shop as his mind wandered elsewhere. He swayed back and forth to the song as he hummed and closed his eyes, forgetting about his work on the flute. He traveled through time and space to the dining hall of his castle where he spun next to the fire as Belle lay upon the rug reading a book, her elbow propping up her chin. It seemed a perfect memory, one not riddled with sadness and regret, one that should have happened if he hadn't been such a coward. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear the door open, and only stopped when he heard the cough of someone clearing their throat.

"I can come back later, if you're busy." A young woman spoke. She had shoulder length brown hair that had been cut into layers. Sweeping bangs off to the side framed her face and seemed to illuminate her hazel eyes.

"Ah, just in my own little world, dearie, can I help you with something?"

She looked around the shop for a moment before fixing him with her hazel gaze. "I'm looking for someone." She finally stated.

Mr. Gold let out a laugh. "I'm afraid I deal in antiques, not people." He put down the cleaning rag and began to put the flute back together. Perhaps if he focused on this she would either find something to buy or leave.

"Do you have a spinning wheel?" It seemed an odd question that came out of the blue and left him slightly taken aback.

"A…a spinning wheel? I used to have one, but I got rid of it long ago." He watched as she walked around the store occasionally picking up an object and studying it. "Do you have an interest in spinning? I'm sure I could scrounge up one somewhere."

The girl stopped and looked at him. "I just look from a distance, sharp spindles and all."

He started to feel a bit agitated as she continued to make her way slowly through the shop, eying every item with a keen look. "Is there anything you are looking for specifically?" Annoyance filled his voice. "I can help you if you tell me what you're looking for, dearie."

She turned and looked at him with an impish smile. "I think I'm the one who should be helping _you_, dearie."

Gold let out a frustrated huff and set his hands down on the counter. "Tell me why you are in my shop, and I might not see the need to ring the sheriff and have you taken for loitering."

She let out a laugh. "If you really want to know what I'm doing in here, I'm trying to hide from my mother. Apparently spending a few years asleep warrants a mother/daughter shopping spree."

Gold smiled and pointed at her knowingly. "You're Nora Dawson, there's been quite a bit of talking going around about you." He turned his attention back to the piece together the flute.

Nora walked closer to the counter and leaned against the viewing glass. She studied him for a moment as he tied the parts of the flute back together with the leather straps. "I'm sure you know that Nora isn't my name, just like Mr. Gold isn't yours either." She said this casually, almost like the two of them were having a cup of tea.

He stopped what he was doing and stared at her, his brow furrowed. "Is it now?" He set the flute down and stared at her with intrigue. "Then enlighten me on the subject of who I really am."

Nora smiled smartly at him and leaned away from the counter "It's simple really, you're the man that everyone makes deals with, deals that always have a way of bending in your favor, _Rumpelstiltskin_."

"Now how did you come by this knowledge?" Curiosity tingled to his very core. How did someone, other than himself, find a loophole in Regina's little curse? Surely this girl had had a bit of magic on her side. "How does Sleeping Beauty know things that no one else does?"

Her smile widened as she leaned closer as if she were about to reveal the secret of the world. In a way she was. "Most people have to inhabit their body when a curse is cast upon them." She nearly laughed when his brow knitted with confusion.

Before Mr. Gold could question her further, the door to the shop opened once more. This time an older woman walked in. She was tall with honey blonde hair and wore the clothes of someone well off. Upon her aging features sat a look of anger as she glared at the girl. That look turned to a sneer of distaste and distrust as her eyes fell upon the shop keeper.

"Nora," Mrs. Dawson sighed, "You just can't go off on your own willy nilly. I've seen you in the hospital for far too long to have you return."

Nora looked at her mother with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry Mother." Her tone was airy. "I just felt so intrigued by this shop that I wanted to ask Mr. Gold if he might be hiring." She turned to look at him with a Cheshire grin etched on her face. "He said that he'd love to have an assistant, someone to check the books and tidy things up a bit."

"He did?" Her mother questioned.

"I did?" Mr. Gold echoed. He looked at Nora as though she were the most evil thing on the planet. No one outsmarted Rumpelstiltskin and got away with it, not in the past life or this one.

"He did." Nora grinned.

Mr. Gold caught onto to her ploy and decided to play along. "Yes, I did offer her a job." Mrs. Dawson looked surprised. "Nora's a bright young girl, you should be very proud."

Mrs. Dawson smiled and puffed out her chest. "She's always been that way." She looked him up and down, not bothering mask her snobbish sneer. "Thank you for offering her a job, but I'm sure she would like to look at her other options before committing to this one."

Gold nodded. He watched as Mrs. Dawson grabbed her daughters arm and drag her towards the shop door. Before the two could leave Mr. Gold called after them. "Can you start Monday?"

They both stopped. Mrs. Dawson looked at him angrily, while Nora beamed. "Certainly." She turned to leave and stopped. "I've found some interesting things around the west side of the hospital…it might be a worthwhile place to look for lost items."

Before Mr. Gold could question her on that, Mrs. Dawson pulled her out of the shop and down the street. Biting at his lower lip, Mr. Gold put away the flute and grabbed his coat. He left the shop, locking the door and heading in the direction of the hospital. What could she have meant about the west side? Maybe he could find answers to why and how she managed to keep her memories of the Enchanted Forest. Before he could get very far, he ran into Regina Mills.

"Mr. Gold," she said with a smile.

"Madam Mayor," he replied, "Warm morning, isn't it?"

"Indeed, it is." Regina responded looking around. "Strange don't you think?"

Gold nodded. It seemed even stranger to be discussing the weather with the woman who had been the root cause of him ending up in a jail cell the night before. "I find it even stranger things just don't seem to be going your way, _your majesty._"

Regina sneered. "I hardly take the fact that some sniveling little tart wake from a coma to be worth my worry."

Mr. Gold smiled and let out a small laugh. "Then you must not have spoken with her. She seems very bright, and a bit _knowledgeable._"

Regina raised a perfectly shaped brow. "_Knowledgeable?_"

"I seemed to be stumbling upon more than one loophole with your grand plan." He gave her a small grin. "In time, I will end you."

She smirked at him. "We shall see about that. Good day Mr. Gold."

~O~

The last thing that King Stefan and his wife, Francesca, wanted for their beautiful daughter, Aurora, was to be cursed on the day of her christening. However, Leah's older sister Maleficent, a broody woman who dabbled in black magic, stormed into the palace and gave the child a curse. She would prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep. Naturally, being the protective parents they were, the two demanded that all spinning wheels in the kingdom be destroyed in the hopes of beating the curse. As Aurora grew older, the curse seemed to be forgotten by the entire kingdom. King Stefan spent his days drawing up war plans for the Ogre Wars that were slowly encroaching upon the kingdom. Francesca spent her days trying to teach her daughter to be a young lady, planning extravagant balls, and finding suitors. Three things that Aurora had grown very bored of.

"Aurora," Francesca sighed, "Please, the seamstresses need you for a fitting for the ball!" She walked down the hall and sighed. "Where is that girl?"

Hidden down a hallway that her mother would never think to look stood Aurora and her friend, Belle, the daughter of Lord Maurice, one of her father's courtiers. The two giggled and set off down the hall on a grand adventure, something their mildly suffocating parents would never allow them to do. They found secret passage ways and rooms, got into sword fights with the young lords and knights in the courtyard, and dreamed away their days with fantasies of being heroes.

"How I'm going to miss this," Belle sighed, leaning against the wall.

"Why? It's not like you're going to be moving somewhere far away after some arranged marriage." Aurora retorted. When she turned and saw the sorrowful look on Belle's face, she felt her heart sink. "Who is he?"

"_Sir Gaston_." The name rolled off Belle's tongue as though it were poisoned.

Aurora laughed. "You mean that ape that's been following us around since we were eight? Didn't he use to ask if we were in need of rescuing?" Belle nodded painfully and they both snorted. "What is your father thinking?"

Belle turned to look out a window at the mountains. "That perhaps I'll be far away from the Ogre Wars and protected."

Aurora bit her lip. The Ogre Wars were taking a toll on many kingdoms. Lord Maurice owned a small duchy on the border of King Stefan's kingdom. In the event that the wars made it to the kingdom, theirs would be one of the first in an attack. For the time being they were safe, but with each passing month it grew closer to coming towards their door. The two friends had always fancied themselves becoming heroes and walking out the doors of their castles and fighting the Ogre's one on one and taking them down.

"Promise me, that if you get the chance, you'll run away from this arranged marriage." Belle looked at Aurora in question. "You're always saying how we should make our own decisions and think for ourselves. Going through with this marriage, you'd be giving in to the image that everyone has of girls, of women. My father always makes the choices for the kingdom, even though he considers my mother to be his equal." She crossed to the window where Belle stood and took her hands. "We should promise each other that we will find an adventure, absolute true love, and take it."

Belle smiled. "I promise, just so long as I don't have to go to any more of your mother's silly balls." They both laughed, hushing when they heard the sound of the queen's voice, and took off down the hall before she could discover their whereabouts.

~O~

Mr. Gold walked towards city hall on his way to the hospital. He paused and watched as Mrs. Dawson walked out talking animatedly with Regina, who had a look of boredom on her face. The pair continued down the street. About to leave himself, he noticed Nora walk out of the door and in the opposite direction of her mother. Curiosity killed the cat, or so the expression said. Ever since their meeting earlier, Gold had wanted to find out exactly what this girl knew. He had tried to get to the hospital earlier after she left his shop, but had gotten sidetracked by the run-in with Regina and then the sudden appearance of Sheriff Swan. He followed the girl, lagging behind just enough so that she wouldn't notice his presence. Their trek ended outside of the hospital, outside the west wing, just like Nora had spoken about before.

Gold stood a distance away, studying her for a moment. She stood in the yard just in front of a row of windows leading to the basement of the hospital. Storage is what he and every other inhabitant of Storybrooke had been led to believe was down in the bowels of the building. He remembered her saying something about finding interesting things on this side of the hospital, did she mean medical records? Had she found some sort of door from the outside? What would he need medical records for?

"You're mother made it seem like they were done with tests." He said casually, walking up to stand beside her acting as though he had been on a stroll and happened across her presence. He had hoped that she would flinch, like most people would when he snuck up on them. However, she didn't respond for a moment. With a furrowed brow, Gold moved closer and tapped her shoulder. "Ms. Dawson?"

"Yes?" She looked at him as though she snapped out of another world, hazel eyes unfocused. "Mr. Gold, I see you are taking me up on my advice about the interesting things in the west wing." She stared at his close proximity to her. "Although you have managed to find your way into my bubble."

He took a step back and stared at her. "Yes, that _advice_." Looking about he saw nothing but a building and a yard that could use a bit of a trim. "What exactly is it that you'd have me looking for here? You don't expect me to go looking for lost treasure, do you?"

Nora laughed. "I suppose you could say a friend is a lost treasure." His brow knitted in confusion at her words and she grinned. "You and I have a mutual friend, who I was just trying to visit."

Mr. Gold looked at her as though she were crazy, perhaps she was. He didn't know much of her story, just that she had been cursed by her aunt, at least he thought it was her aunt. It was a sleeping curse, something that Regina had borrowed to use on Snow White. Nora caught on to his glance and her smile faded to a look of sorrow.

"We've had so many years in this life with nothing ever changing, except for the secrets in the past." She turned to look at the building, eyes falling upon the windows of the basement. "We both have something in common Mr. Gold. We were both told that people we loved dearly were dead, but it seems only one of us has been lied to…so far at least."

"What do you mean?" His own eyes followed her gaze to the windows. Whatever she was looking for, whoever, seemed to be locked away in the basement.

"Did you know that she used to send me letters?"

Mr. Gold looked up at her with confusion. "Who?"

Nora ignored his question and continued with her story. "She told me stories of the adventure she had. Of finally being free from her father's protective grasp. She wanted to see the world, but the farthest she got was a dungeon in your castle." Mr. Gold's heart began to pound in his chest as he realized who she spoke of. "It was okay though, you were a companion and she grew to know you, even love you." His throat seemed dry as the memories rose of the person he had spent the past twenty-eight years trying to forget. "When you rejected her, she tried to write me, to find comfort, but my own adventure had just begun. While I slept, her father disowned her for her acquaintance with you, locked her in a tower-,"

The pain that the memory caused bit at him like the bite of a rabid dog. "Yes, yes I know. He sent in clerics to cleanse her and after a while she jumped off the tower. She…she died." He began to turn away, but stopped. "Whatever game it is that you are trying to play, Ms. Dawson, is one that you best not begin."

Nora smiled sweetly at him. "Jumping so quick to the end of the story?" She let out a small, haughty laugh. "I thought you had manners, at least that is what I was led to believe." He curled his lip as he turned back to listen to her. "As you put it, we thought she died, but Regina got you to believe in her little game. When Belle left your castle she went on that adventure she always dreamed about, an adventure we both had dreamed about, that is until the Evil Queen caught up to her. She imprisoned Belle in a dungeon where she could keep an eye on her, something to use against you at a later time." Nora walked toward the windows and sank down to their level. "When she cast the curse, she put Belle in the last place you'd ever look." She tapped the glass with a finger and rose with a knowing smile.

Gold stared at her with disbelief. "So you're saying that Belle is alive and is being kept prisoner in the basement of the hospital?"

Nora nodded and looked at him with a painful expression. "She's trying to drive her mad, but Belle is fighting it." She walked back toward him. "I know you want to push her away, keep your pathetic power, but I know you can't. You've finally decided to give that all up, to become a man again and live happily ever after." He started to argue but she held her hand up. "I've showed you where that chance is, now it's your choice as to whether or not you chase it." He stood silent and wide-eyed as he stared at the building. Nora began to walk away, pausing to look over her shoulder at him. "You broke her heart once Rumpelstiltskin, and she left. Do it again and you'll lose her forever."

Gold, heeding her words, walked towards the hospital a little more and stopped. He turned to say something to Nora, but discovered she had vanished. Could she be telling the truth? Could Belle really be held captive inside? The only person he could think of to aide him in finding this out wouldn't be too keen on helping him, especially since just a mere eighteen hours before she had arrested him for attempted murder.

A/N: Whew! Seven pages of pure awesomeness! That sounds conceited…sorry. I must say that I did change the meeting outside of the hospital quite a bit. In the original story I posted, they spoke of how Belle "tried to commit suicide." Well seeing as how we are now in the fourth season of OUaT, I wanted to try and keep up with that a bit. So I mentioned Belle's adventures, I didn't really go into detail because I'm not sure if I'm going to discuss the whole Prince Phillip being cursed into a dragon thing…mainly because the show's Prince Phillip is a completely different kind of person from _my_ idea of Prince Phillip *cough*douchebag*cough*….not that it was entirely his fault, Aurora was asleep for twenty-eight years and it sort of left him to explore his options….off topic. Well, as always, please review. I will try and update as soon as I can, it is a busy time at work and I don't really get a lot of days off (something that totally sucks).

Oh did anyone see the latest episode? My heart broke at the town line. :( However, I am always cheering for them!


	3. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Once Upon a Time. They belong to the show creators and ABC.

**Fractured Memories**

A Visit to the Dungeons

The last thing that Emma Swan wanted was someone to come into the Sheriff's station just as she was calling it a night. Even more so, she really didn't want that person to be Mr. Gold. She looked at the man with disbelief in her eyes before leaning against a desk.

"Miss the place that much you just _had_ to come back?"

He sneered. "I told you, Ms. Swan, I will never be behind bars again."

Emma nodded and let out a small huff. "Obviously you need something important. At least I hope it's important because I really need to go home to my bed where I can get some sleep."

Gold noted the dark circles under her eyes. It seemed that Mrs. Dawson wasn't only being demanding of the mayor, but of the law enforcement as well. "I'll make this quick then." She nodded hopefully. "It has come to my attention that there may or may not be a prison of sorts in the bottom of the hospital."

Emma looked at him and folded her arms, brow knitting in confusion. "That's storage, everyone knows that." She thought for a moment and stood up quickly looking at him in disbelief. "You're not telling me that there is someone down there you're looking for, are you? I just had to discuss that with Nora Dawson." Gold's ears perked up. "She came in here demanding that I go take a look at the bottom of the hospital. She told me Regina had her friend locked up in some strange psych ward." Mr. Gold nodded and Emma let out a wry laugh. "Don't tell me you believe her? She was in a coma for years, how would she know this?" He bit his tongue. "Who could possibly be down there that you both want me to 'take a look'?"

Mr. Gold wrapped both hands over the handle of his cane. "Moe French's daughter."

Emma groaned and rubbed her temple. "Can't you just leave the poor man alone?" She sighed and looked up at him. "I thought you said his daughter had died? I thought _he_ said she had died." She looked at him. "She's not dead, is she?"

"According to Ms. Dawson, she is alive and well."

Emma closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. "I am going to need a vacation after this."

~O~

Mr. Gold found himself standing outside the west wing of the hospital, close to the window that Nora had told him belonged to Belle. He studied the buildings outer walls, looking for any way to get in, just to see her. The windows were frosted to hide their secrets from view, which didn't give much leeway to see whether the girl had actually told him the truth. He decided that he would look for some plans of the building to figure out how to access the basement. With one final glance, he walked back towards town.

~O~

She stared out the window, something she found herself doing often to pass time in the damp, dark prison of hers. She figured that if she stared up at the frosted glass long enough, she might catch a glimpse of the outdoors, maybe even a little bit of sunlight. Today, not that she knew what day it was, she thought she could see a figure standing at the window. _Impossible_, she told herself. Yet there it was, the silhouette of someone leaning against something outside her window. Perhaps this could be her prince charming, but then again she never really believed in prince charmings. No, her dreams were filled with a man with golden skin and dark eyes hidden beneath black waves of hair with an impish grin that seemed to know one's every single thought.

Much like the face of this man, his name became a bitter memory that fell from her lips. "Rumpelstiltskin," she whispered, picking at the end of her gown in frustration. "Trickster, imp…coward. Coward above all else, forever a coward with a heart full of regret."

"Talking to yourself again?" She looked up to see the nurse standing in the doorway holding a tray. "It's time to eat." She walked forward and slammed the tray down beside Belle. "Now be a good little duckling and eat all of this, then maybe we can talk about not having meds this afternoon."

Belle glared at her as she walked out of the room and slammed the door shut. Belle looked at the tray, a measly little sandwich, applesauce, and a milk. Picking at the food she let her mind wander to a time where things were different, a time when she had been locked in another dungeon.

~O~

"Rise and shine, dearie, the castle will not clean itself."

Belle opened her eyes to look up into the face of Rumpelstiltskin. Looking around she noted the walls of the dungeon, or her _room_ as he put it. Sitting up she watched as he bounced out the door and disappeared. He was a strange man, Rumpelstiltskin. There were times that she thought she should fear him, times where he seemed nice, and others when she saw the distant lonely glint in his eye. Dusting straw off of her dress she made her way upstairs to the dining hall, where her master sat at the head of the long table, in the only chair.

Belle stood there, feeling a bit odd in her ball gown. How would she clean in such a nice dress? "Rumpelstiltskin." He looked up at her from a plate of food that left her hungry.

"What is it?" Looking down nervously Belle mumbled her question. "What did you say? My ears are up here and not on the floor."

Nodding Belle looked up at him and righted her shoulders, trying to feel confident. "Don't you think it's a bit silly for me to clean in a ball gown?"

Rumpelstiltskin tilted his head to one side, thinking about her words for a moment. "Perhaps you're right. That dress will make things a bit harder for you." He snapped his fingers.

Belle looked down to see she no longer wore the golden dress that had once belonged to her mother, but a simple blue dress with a white blouse and an apron. She smiled. "Thank you."

Rumpelstiltskin waved her words off. "Go eat in the kitchen and then scrub the floors."

She nodded and turned away, missing the small smile that formed on his face.

~O~

"Belle." A voice whispered in the darkness of the cell. "Belle."

With a bit of a start, the russet haired girl sat up on the bench, looking around until her eyes fell on a figure standing in the corner. "Who's there?" The figure stepped out of the shadows and into the small bit of light pouring through the window. "Rory?" The girl smiled and nodded. "I'm not dreaming again am I?"

"Define dreaming?"

Belle let out a sigh and watched as her friend sat down beside her on the bench. "You're not here." She looked at the half eaten tray of food. "She put the medicine in the food again. It needs to stop, the memories, bitter memories." She rubbed her temple. "Pain, torture, rejection…he rejected me. Rumpelstiltskin….coward."

Nora looked at her friend. "I'm here, but I'm not here Belle." She explained. "You'll see me soon, real as day." Belle gave her a doubtful look. "I'm working on getting you out of here, I've got people who will help me."

"Really? Who might these people be?" Belle questioned. "For the longest time you've promised this and it hasn't happened."

Nora grinned. "I found your Rumpelstiltskin."

Belle got up from the bench and paced the room. "He won't help you. He doesn't love me, he loves his power." She bit her lip. "I'll be a hopeless person. No one will ever love me again and I can love no one else. He owns my heart Rory, I'll never be happy again."

Nora stared at her with sorrow in her hazel eyes. "Just a little longer, I promise. When have I ever lied to you, hmm?

"'Eat the tart, Belle, no one will notice.'"

Nora rolled her eyes. "Besides that time, we were six if you recall." Belle folded her arms and gave her friend a challenging look. "We're going to have an adventure, you and I, and we're going to find the happy endings that were stolen from us."

With a sigh, Belle nodded her response and watched as Nora vanished. Then she felt a tug and her shoulder. Shrugging it off she went to sit down, but it continued.

"Wake up!"

Snapping her eyes open, Belle found herself laying on the bench and looking up into the cruel eyes of the nurse. She said nothing as the nurse huffed and gathered up her food tray. She watched as the woman looked around the room before storming out the door.

"Talking in your sleep, I would swear on the life of me that you had company." She cast Belle a scolding gaze. "Keep to yourself, little one, and be quiet." She slammed the door shut, leaving the girl in darkness.

~O~

Mr. Gold walked up to his shop to find the door unlocked. Being the secure and responsible man he is, he knew that someone had broken in. Slowly making his way in through the door, he looked around. The sound of movement caught his attention and he raised his can, swinging it quickly. A hand reached out, catching it with ease and he found himself looking at Nora Dawson.

"Do you always try to beat people that come into your shop?" She let go of his cane and he lowered it.

"How did you get in here?" He brushed passed her and went to the counter.

"I used a key." She smiled at his confused face. "Forgive a girl for picking up a few tricks while wandering around this town like a ghost." She tossed the key, the only key, to him. He caught it in his hand and looked at it as though it were poisoned. "I just had a lovely little chat with our friend."

He put the key in his pocket and looked at her curiously. "How did you get in there to see her?"

Nora laughed lightly as she moved towards the counter. "When I don't have someone breaking my concentration, I have no problem getting in to see her." She stared through the viewing glass. "Although, I do have to make sure that I'm in a safe place…so I borrowed your key and had a lovely little _nap_ in your office." He curled his lip at her and went about fixing things the way he liked them. She watched for a moment, slightly fascinated. "She's getting a bit impatient. I suppose sitting around in a cell for twenty-eight years calls for it."

He turned and glowered at her. "Do you have a purpose of being here other than taunting me?"

"Touchy, are you always like this?" He let out a low growl. "Well, is that how you treat employees? I thought you might like to know that the other day when I went in for more tests I followed the nurse to the door…I know the code." She smiled triumphantly. "All we need now is someone to make sure no one sees us."

"Now how do you plan on doing that?" Mr. Gold asked. She only smiled at him before leaving the shop.

~O~

Emma walked down the street in a slight huff. She was late on her rounds about town due to the demanding needs of Mrs. Dawson and the "secret mission" that Nora Dawson and Mr. Gold had presented her with. Shifting through her coat pockets she was too busy to look where she was going and ran into someone. "I'm really sorry about that, I'm sort of having a bad day."

"Aren't we all?" A voice responded.

She looked up to stare into the face of the strange writer that had come to town weeks ago, August Booth. She frowned and folded her arms in front of her, giving him a look of distrust. "You're still here."

"I'm still here," he replied with a smile, "Is that a problem Sheriff?"

"Only for you, being away from work and all…right?"

"I bring my work with me, remember?" He made a gesture to the box he held in his hand containing a typewriter. "I was wondering if you might-,"

"Sheriff Swan, just the person I wanted to see." Nora Dawson called as she walked up to the pair. She seemed to have a strange way of showing up at even the most convenient times. "Hello there, don't believe we've met, Nora Dawson." She held out a hand to August.

"Nice to meet you Nora," He replied before turning to Emma, "See you around Sheriff."

The two women watched him walk down the street. Emma looked at Nora with a relieved expression that quickly soured when she realized that the girl wanted something. "You seriously need to stop popping out of places. Is there something you need?"

Nora continued to look at the retreating form of August and turned her attention to Emma. "Do you – never mind. I need your help accessing the basement of the hospital."

Emma closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "Access the basement…I can't do that. One, I'm only the sheriff. Two, I don't have a means of getting down there. Three, I am not helping you, she lowered her voice, "illegally get someone out of there regardless of whether or not they're imprisoned."

Nora gave her a small pout. "Here I thought you were all about maintaining the good." She began to walk away.

Emma, not loving the guilt trip she had been sent on, huffed. "Fine."

Nora turned around and smiled, rushing up to the blonde and giving her a hug. "Thank you!" She let go of Emma and gave her a serious look. "Don't worry about the legal things…I've got a trick up my sleeve."

~O~

The hospital seemed slow and quiet when Emma entered. She looked at her watch, 9:20. Looking around for Nora, she found the girl sitting in a waiting room chair reading an old magazine. She looked up at the sheriff and dropped the magazine, walking over with a smile.

"Now what?" Emma asked.

Nora only held a finger up to her lips, telling the blonde to be quiet. The two walked through the waiting room and down a hallway towards a door that read "Secured Area." They stopped in front of the punch pad and looked around for any curious people. Satisfied that no one was watching Nora punched in the number 41523. There was a click and the door unlocked. Opening it they made their way through a short hall and down a flight of stairs to a desk with a grumpy looking nurse sitting behind it.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

Before Emma could speak, Nora sauntered up to the desk and smiled. "Yes, we'd like to see the room of patient 2315, please."

"I can't do that," the woman replied in a stern voice, "She's under restricted visitation."

Nora sighed slightly and looked at Emma, shaking her head before turning back to the nurse. "I thought you would say that." She put her attention on a messenger bag that she had draped around her shoulder, pulling out a large stack of papers and throwing them on the desk. "These are the release forms for the patient. You can look through them, they're completely legal." The nurse glowered at her. "The patient is to be remanded to Sheriff Swan's custody until she is placed in a suitable living environment." The nurse looked from the papers to Nora suspiciously before picking up the phone and beginning to dial. Nora hit the kill button before she got the last number in, giving her a challenging look. "I wouldn't bother the Mayor with that petty little call. She's being served a similar document right now." She stood up. "The best of luck to her when she tries to overrule this. Now show us to the room."

The nurse stood and begrudgingly obliged, walking down the hall while Nora and Emma followed. Emma stared at the young brunette with a look of awe and wonder. She had talked like she owned the place. They stopped outside a room, number 12, and waited as the nurse unlocked the door. Emma stood in the doorway, watching as Nora walked inside towards a girl sitting on a bench.

"Hello, Belle." Nora said.

The girl looked up at her with confusion. "Rory?" She stood from where she sat. "Are you really here?"

She rushed forward and grabbed the girl's arm and a relieved smile spread across her face. "You're here, you're really here!"

Nora nodded. "I'm getting you out of here." She wrapped a trench coat around the girl's shoulders, one that Emma recognized as Mr. Gold's. "All right, we're ready to go."

Leading the girl out of the room, she and Nora smiled at the nurse before making their way down the hall. Emma nodded at the stern-looking woman before following. The three walked out to the yellow VW Beetle sitting in the parking lot and got in. Nora sat with Belle in the back as Emma drove away from the hospital. She looked into the rear view mirror. The pair talked as though they were on their way to school or something, laughing and joking. Emma looked down at the address that Nora had given her as the place Belle would be going to, it was an address she'd been to before…Mr. Gold's.

A few minutes later, they pulled up to the house. Emma watched as Nora led Belle inside. When she came back, she hopped in the front seat and looked at the sheriff with a triumphant smile.

"So how did you manage to get those documents?" Emma asked.

Nora smiled. "I have my ways sheriff. It's a matter of knowing all the right people, ones that the mayor doesn't have any effect on."

~O~

Belle stood in the parlor that Nora had left her in. _Nora_, she reminded herself to get used to that name. 'Someone will be here shortly.' She hoped that her friend was right. She stared at the windows, which were stained glass, something she was sure looked beautiful with the sunlight shining through during the day time. Walking around the space, she explored. She let her fingers graze across the spines of several books, some she remembered reading, and occasionally picked up an oddity to study it further. Soon she came to a curio cabinet, her eyes falling upon the one thing that stood out, a tea cup nestled on a little pillow on the middle shelf. With shaking hands she opened the cabinet door and lifted it up, tracing the rim with her finger, dipping it into the place where she had chipped it.

The front door opened, but she didn't hear it. Her mind had been flooded with memories and her heart fluttered with emotion. She only turned when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She stared at the man standing before her, a man she had only caught a glimpse of before, a man that looked odd without his golden scales.

"Belle," he whispered her name, a bit of shock enveloping his voice.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "You kept it."


	4. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Once Upon a Time. They belong to the show's creators and ABC.

A/N: I apologize that it has taken me so long to update the story. It has been a crazy time with work and the holidays. Hopefully I can update more often now that things seemed to have calmed down a bit, but alas I can't make promises. I will keep updating though, so don't worry.

**Fractured Memories**

Reunions

"You kept it."

He looked at the woman standing before him and at her hands where she held the chipped cup. He wanted to say something. He needed to say something. He should say something, but the words couldn't come to mind because he had so much to apologize for. He wanted to cross the room and pull her into his arms never wanting to let go, but he couldn't. The fear of her pushing him away crossed his mind. He wouldn't blame her if she did, not after the way he had treated her. When Nora had told him earlier that she knew how to get into the basement, he didn't realize that things would happen so quickly. Perhaps he was in shock.

Belle stormed over to him and stuck the cup in his face, anger and confusion flooding her eyes. "You kept it." Her voice came out louder, unwavering and accusing.

"Y-yes." He sighed.

She lowered it and stepped back, looking at him for a moment. "For wanting your power more than me it seems a little strange."

Her words stung, but they both knew they were right. Gold didn't say anything, he just watched as she walked back to the curio cabinet and set the cup down on its pillow. He noted that she wore one of his trench coats. No doubt Nora had "borrowed" it. He made a mental note to make sure his keys were securely placed somewhere the pickpocketing Sleeping Beauty couldn't find them.

Belle turned back around to face him, her blue hospital gown clashing against the tan of the coat. She bit her lip and hit the side of the cabinet with her fist. She looked as though she were thinking about something as her eyes stared down at the floor. After a moment she looked back up at the man she had spent so long trying to decide whether she hated him or loved him.

"You're either in too much shock to see me, or you're still the coward that watched me leave."

Gold sighed and ran a hand across his face. "I'm not going to deny that I was, _am_, a coward. I have regretted most of my decisions for a long time." He rested both hands on his cane and looked at her with a solemn stare. "But we have some time to talk about that. It has been a bit of an exciting day and I think rest would be good for the both of us."

Belle let out a wry laugh. "Let me guess, I'm going to the dungeon?" She looked about the parlor and towards the hallway. "Although I doubt you even have one."

There was a basement to the Victorian styled house, one that could easily be used as a dungeon, but he made a promise to himself long ago that there would be no more dungeons, for either of them. "No, no more dungeons."

She folded her arms in front of her and looked at him with a bit of amusement in her eyes. "So the great Rumpelstiltskin has finally learned to be a man."

He let out a wry laugh. "I suppose you could say that, but I'm not a very kind man." She raised an eyebrow. "People fear me here. I'm a person you wouldn't want to cross."

Belle stared at him with an amused look. "You make that sound like it's something new." She walked over to him. "Perhaps you haven't quite learned to be a man, but you are a bit closer."

Gold nodded with a heavy sigh. She was right. He hadn't changed much from who he was in the Enchanted Forest. The only difference here was the lack of magic and golden, scaly skin. With a bit of a heavy heart he offered her an arm, which she took after a moment's hesitation. He led them out of the parlor and to the stairs.

Upon meeting the staircase that rounded like a ribbon to the second floor, Belle began to wonder how he could stand to walk up them with his bad leg. The thought soon left her mind as they started a slow climb to the second floor. Gold led her down the hall towards a room on the left.

He stood aside, allowing her to open the door herself. Turning the glass knob, Belle opened the door to a room bathed in the same colors she had seen in the stained glass window downstairs. In the center of the room stood a bed that looked comfortable even from where she stood at the door. Looking around she noted a vanity, a desk, and a cushy window seat that looked out over the town. Stepping into the room, she moved to a large oak wardrobe, full of clothes. She turned to look at Gold, curious as to how he acquired them.

Without a doubt in his mind, Gold knew had provided the clothes. "Nora."

"I'm not going to be used to calling her that." Belle sighed.

Gold nodded. "That's probably something we'll have to work on. People have different names here. I'm called Mr. Gold."

Belle laughed as she looked at him. "Mr. Gold? No first name?"

He shook his head. "None that I'm aware of. You can call me Gold if you like." He watched as she mulled over the idea. "Here you're called Isabelle French." She crinkled her nose a bit at that but stopped when she let out a yawn. "We can save all of that for tomorrow." He watched her sit on the bed before retreating towards the door.

"Ru-Gold." Belle sighed, staring at him as he turned to face her. "Did you mean it…when you said that you regretted?"

Mr. Gold looked her carefully in the eye, noting the pained and pleading expression that lay within her blue orbs. "Every minute of every day. Good night, Belle."

"Good night."

She watched him close the door before slumping back into the bed, a real bed. The cushiony mattress welcomed her like a warm hug.

~O~

"Tell me how you did this." Emma spoke as she stopped her car in front of the Dawson residence.

It was a large house, not nearly as large as the mayor's house, but in a close running. Nora stared at the blonde with a bit of frustration. Why could no one trust her?

"I have my ways, Emma." Nora sighed. "It's one of the perks of being part of one of the richest families in town."

Emma stared at her, narrowing her eyes trying to see if she was lying. "You're not telling me something."

Nora let out a small laugh and looked at her. "There are so many things that I'm not telling you, that a few people aren't telling you, but those are not for me to unveil." She opened the car door. "Patience is a virtue Sheriff Swan."

Before Emma could say anything more, Nora got out of the car and bounded up the steps to the house. The blonde drove back to the sheriff's station, not nearly finished with her day, which had been a long one. Wanting nothing more than to finished a small amount of paperwork and head home, Emma grimaced when she entered the station to find Regina sitting on her desk, arms folded and a snarl etched on her face.

"Madam Mayor." The blonde said sarcastically.

"Do you mind explaining to me why a patient of the psych ward was released into your custody, Ms. Swan? Or perhaps why I was served with papers?" Regina asked coldly. "And might I add it was a patient that has been under restricted lockdown for years, because she is not only a danger to herself, but others?"

Emma matched the mayor's brutal glare. "A patient that has been determined by legal documents drawn up by lawyers to be within perfect condition, and was not being treated but instead held captive within the basement of a hospital." She leaned up against another desk and folded her arms. "Believe me, I'm sure you should be asking the question of whether you're about to get sued, Madam Mayor."

Regina smirked. "I don't understand why I have to remind you of this Sheriff Swan, but this is my town, no one is going to deliver a lawsuit to me and remain in employment."

"Really, well I should have to take that as a threat." The two women turned to stare at a man in a pinstriped suit standing in the door way. "Sorry I'm late for the festivities, Emma, this town is a little difficult to find." He walked towards Regina and held out a hand. "Lucas Jenkins, nice to meet you." Regina stared at his hand, refusing to shake it. He retracted it and stared at her with a raised brow. "I'm the person that will be suing you for the mistreatment of patient 2315, aka Isabelle French. My office will be drawing up some legal papers for your lawyers later this week."

Regina looked at this Lucas Jenkins trying to decide whether or not he had the balls to attempt to sue her. He didn't look familiar from town or the Enchanted Forest. "Where are you from?"

"Boston, ma'am." He replied, turning towards Emma. "I worked closely with Emma on quite a few cases, and I haven't lost yet."

Regina smiled and stood up. She walked towards the door, pausing before she passed Emma. "Well played, Sheriff Swan. If you two will excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

They watched her leave in a huff. Emma turned to look at Lucas, a man whom she really hadn't spoken to in three years or so. "How did you?"

"Your friend Nora gave me a call." He replied. "Told me all about the ordeal and I agreed to do it pro-bono. Nothing the public loves more than hearing about a scandalous mistreatment of patients." He looked around the station. "You've done well for yourself."

Emma nodded, "I guess so."

"Well, we've got a long stretch ahead of us." Lucas said. "I'm going to go check into my room and I'll catch up with you in the morning."

~O~

_Isabelle_. The name sounded foreign, like some sort of spell. At least she could still go by Belle and no one would be none the wiser. Looking at herself in the mirror, she tried to imagine herself liking the clothes she wore. Choosing from the closet full that Nora had picked out she found a pair of jeans and a lacey blue top with a gray camisole to where underneath. She felt odd in this clothing but strangely freed from the confines of corsets and petticoats. She had no doubt that it would take a while for these new clothes to become routine, much like everything else in this strange new world.

Belle ventured out of her room and down the stairs, barefoot, and went in search of the kitchen. It didn't take very long to find it, the doorway stood across from the stairway. She walked in to find Gold sitting at the table reading a newspaper, her face appeared on the front page. She ignored the image and the strange chill that ran down her spine as she went about finding a cup to pour herself some tea.

"Did you sleep well?" Gold asked, not looking up from the paper.

Belle leaned up against the counter, holding a warm mug in her hands and thinking that the newspaper seemed to be a mask he was hiding behind. "Yes, very much, thank you." She took a sip and eyed him for a moment. "So, what am I to do with my day? Clean the house, cook meals?"

He looked up at her with a thoughtful and slightly pained look. "You can do whatever you please. I'm not holding you prisoner here." He folded the newspaper and let out a strained sigh. "I thought I might stay home today, my leg is acting up a bit. The strange weather we keep having isn't helping."

Setting down her tea, Belle walked over to him. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" He looked up at her confused, only hours ago she had been mad at him. "Really, rest would be good. I'll help you up the stairs."

"I'm quite fine, you don't need to worry about me." Gold protested. "I can manage. You should go out and get acquainted with the town."

Belle put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him. "Now you can act like a small child, Rumpelstiltskin-,"

"Mr. Gold," he reminded her.

She tried not to let the interruption phase her. "Whatever you wish to be called. Anyways you can stop acting like a child and let me help you."

She had that stubborn look in her eye, the one that she got whenever she wanted to pry something out of him or get him to let his guard down. It was a look that he had admittedly missed for the past twenty-nine years. Nodding in a defeated manner, he gingerly stood up and let her lead him to the stairway. He wanted to laugh at the whole thing, see the irony in the situation, but years of separation and cruel goodbyes didn't seem to apply at the moment. This was two people helping each other, although he wasn't sure how he was helping Belle, perhaps giving her something to care for.

They slowly climbed the stairs and made the short trek to his room. After leading him to the bed and helping him to sit down, Belle fluffed up the pillows so he could sit up and put one under his bad leg. She stood back to admire her work and smiled proudly.

"Now you rest. If you get out of that bed, I will beat you with your cane." The threat came out a joke, but Gold took it seriously nonetheless.

She turned to leave to give him some peace and quiet, but stopped in the door way when he called out her name. "Belle." She looked at him, seeing a hopeful glint in his eyes. "Perhaps you could read a story, like you used to?" She smiled and nodded. "There's a book just there." He pointed towards a desk where a single book lay.

Walking over, she glanced down at the book, recognizing the cover, _A Princess of Vascovy_. It had been one of the last books she read before she left his castle. The spine still held the marks of having been opened for hours on the floor while she read by the fire. Looking closely, the small ribbon she had placed inside still rested on the page where she had left off. A small smile played on her lips before she turned and walked back towards the bed. She surprised him by sitting down next to him, to which he didn't argue. He would do anything to be close to her. Belle opened the book to the first page and began to read aloud. Gold closed his eyes and listened to her voice, like a soft lullaby. After a while she leaned her head on his shoulder and he felt that the world had somehow righted itself.

~O~

Regina fumed as she stared at the legal documents sitting on her desk. There had to be something about Nora Dawson in order for her to be able to swindle this deal out of Lucas Jenkins. If this were a game of chess, there would be no doubt that Nora would be one step away from a check mate. There had to be a way to fix this, to put the pecking order of the town back in her hands. But how?

"You wanted to see me Madam Mayor?"

Regina looked up to see Albert Spencer, the District Attorney of Storybrooke. Her mouth spread into a warm smile as she motioned for him to take a seat in front of her. "Yes, I have recently come into a bit of a legal situation and am in need of representation."

"Might I remind you that as a DA, I prosecute?" He sighed.

"So you've heard about the situation." Regina stated, he pointed to a newspaper on her desk. "I would like for you to make an exception, as an old friend. I don't take the idea of being sued lightly, or the slander that has been deemed news by the paper."

Albert let out a chuckle. "I thought you had Sidney Glass in your pocket?"

"Even he has to report the truth, but he _does_ have a way of bending it."

Albert thought for a moment before looking her in the eye. "Seeing as how you were trying to do what was best for Ms. French, I'll help you out. It won't cost you a thing."

Regina smiled widely. "Thank you, Mr. Spencer."

~O~

Mr. Gold awoke sometime in the afternoon when the sun, at its highest, streamed through the window and hit his face. Feeling a weight at his side, he glanced down to find Belle still leaning against him, sound asleep. Scoot down to a more comfortable angle, he pulled her closer, content with just lying there and watching her. She had a small smile on her face, probably from a good dream. After a while she opened her eyes and stretched a little. Looking around she turned her gaze to him and frowned.

"What?" He asked, watching her sit up and instantly missing the warmth. "What is it?"

"It's the afternoon," she murmured looking out the window. She scooted towards the side of the bed. "I should go make some lunch." She stood and turned to him, remembering his leg. "I'll bring up a tray."

Before he could say anything she walked out the door. His mind drifted toward the contentment he had felt when she had been curled up next to his side. Little did he know, he wasn't the only one thinking of that. Belle scrounged through the kitchen looking for something to make to eat. With a little sigh and a laugh, and perhaps maybe the mention of a 'stubborn fool' she found some bread to make sandwiches. It didn't surprise her to discover that the kitchen was bare, it had taken a week to get him to stock the one in his castle. She supposed that he had forgotten his lack of magic in this world. Placing the dishes on a tray she made her way back up to his room, where she sat it down in front of him.

"It might not be very good." She sighed, crawling back to her spot. "You didn't really have much to make anything with."

Gold looked down at the tray of sandwiches and glasses of milk. "We shall have to go shopping then."

He took a bit of his sandwich and smiled. Ham with Swiss cheese on wheat bread. It tasted good, but then again anything Belle made tasted good, even if she didn't think so. They sat side by side and ate quietly for a moment, both pensive and unsure of what to say to the other. When they were done, Belle cleaned up the plates and set the tray on the desk. She could take it downstairs later. Returning to the bed, she picked up the book and began where she had left off. After reading for a while a though crossed her mind, causing her to set the book down and look at him.

"Since we're here in this world due to the Evil Queen's curse, and you look like a normal man, does that mean if I were to kiss you it wouldn't change anything?" She paused and bit her lip. "Given that you don't freak out…again."

Gold contemplated this for a moment. "I don't really know, I suppose it could break my curse, but we won't know for a while, now would we?" He had a hint of his old grin as he spoke. "May I ask what brought this on?"

"I don't know." Belle admitted staring at him. "It could be the cup and the book, I suppose. A real bedroom, as well." She looked down at her hands for a moment and let out a deep sigh. "I think somewhere, deep down, I never really gave up on you."

She looked up at him and he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's all in the past now, love."

She smiled warmly at him, liking the sound of that word. She timidly pressed her lips against his. As though they had traveled back through time and space she found herself in that moment when she had first kissed him. The tiny jump her heart had made the moment their lips touched, and the happy sigh of relief she felt when she saw that it had begun to break his curse. Sitting back she looked at him, still the same man he had been last night and that morning.

"Oh, no, it didn't work." She joked.

He smiled and raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"You're still Rumpelstiltskin, Mr. Gold." She kissed him again, this time lingering a bit longer. "But I think that's the way I like it." They shared a smile before kissing again.

A/N: And that is chapter four! Whew. I will try and get chapter five up tomorrow. I have a few days off from work so that give me more time to think of a story and not about, well, work. As always please review, because I love hearing from you. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Angelbabie13190 ^_^


End file.
